1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sports equipment, and in particular, to a device for use in playing floor hockey or a similar indoor sport.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various previous patents show attachments which can be placed in a corner so as to present a rounded surface at the juncture of wall sections, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 511,197; 2,651,086; 2,823,432; 3,950,907; 4,052,830; and 4,150,517. The aforementioned patents do not relate to sports such as floor hockey or indoor soccer, and they give no indication of the various advantages which can be obtained with a the use of a device according to the present invention.
In accordance with the prior art, the game of floor hockey is played in gymnasiums, multi-purpose rooms, and recreation areas without the use of any corner devices of the kind provided in accordance with the present invention. This leads to various disadvantages or difficulties. Without the use of corners, such as those provided in accordance with the present invention, the puck or ball more frequently enters passageways, corridors, locker rooms, and various other open spaces; this interferes with the continuity of the action and diminishes the satisfaction of the players.
The sport of floor hockey is frequently played by physical-education students at the elementary, intermediate, and secondary-school levels, and one of the principal reasons for learning and engaging in the sport of hockey is to improve hockey skills. In playing floor hockey without the use of corners of the kind provided with the present invention, there is the distinct drawback or disadvantage that the play does not realistically simulate the playing of ice hockey, a sport in which a playing area with suitably rounded corners is customarily provided and used, albeit at a level of expense for rink construction and maintenance far greater than that required for floor hockey. Thus, one drawback is that floor hockey played without corner members is unrealistic; another is that when rounded corners are not provided, the play is less safe, since the corner member prevents the puck or ball from skidding or rolling into a corner or passageway with two, three or more students in pursuit and in danger of collision and/or injury.